The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-03-31

Tluay evening IulS Weoh, Ou WnIcA
the patrons will receive q
,ountiful supper for a very small fee.
Miss Mary Hiscock is canvassing
or book entitled /" Hit or Miss" by
Miss Manly, a very gifted author.
Hit or Miss" is highly entertaining
novel, the heroine of which once lived
within fourteen miles of Hiram and
was once a student here. Those who
have read the book pronounce it su
perb.
The want of good hotel is sadly
felt here. Tt is believed that good
hotel could now be properly appreci,
ated. We understand that parties
from distance contemplate going into
the business here.
Some time ago some thief broke into
the Town Hall, in the night season,
and stole and carried away a valuable
alto horn. the property of the Band.
The boys think they are on the right
track of thief, and if they are, it would
be good policy to return the instru,
ment b-fore it is everlastingly too late.
The jury system is being discussed |
aud criticised by the press of this and
other States, and some radical changes |
are being advanced and argued pro
and con. Our legislature made slight
change for the better, in fixing the
number of challenges for the defense,
In criminal cases, and another very
good amendment - prescribing the
number necessary to lender a verdict
was defeated. The jury system is:
well enough; the trouble is not with
the system, but with the appointing
power, with the judges of the election
who generally ignore the fitness and
qualities of good juror and cast
around for friend, political or other
wise, and return his name, no matter
how efficient he may be in any or all
the qualifications necessary for a fair
juror. Sometimes man is returned
because he can be spared from home
as we'll as not. Numberiess other rea-
sons are given for the return of names
for jurors, except what ought to be the
only reason-ths fitness of the juror to
perform the duties intelligeHtly. 1t is
unreasonable to suppose that the re-
turning power will in the future do
any better than in the past, therefore,
the jury system will in the future as
in the past be considered nearly farce
Occasionally returning officer gets
above party or personal friendship
when about to discharge this part OF
his duty, and looks only to the quail
ficatiOns of the man. This in a meas
ure tends to keep the system from
wholly being farce. One change
proposed is to have certain county Of
ficials form board to choose jurors.
This plan while new and a novelty
might for time work we'll, but in a
brief time would relapse to where it
would be no benefit. We already have
a law by which certain county officials
select a panel for what is termed q
struck jury" 1t was supposed that
the officials would be we'll acquainted
throughout the county-as well as the
trustees in their townships-ands select
the best men. This would be a good
plan provided they did their duty,
the same as trustees ought to do theirs.
But they will not. A few years ago,
one of the parties to an important suit
pending in this county demanded a
struck jury" The officials met in
the Auditors Office, took the tax du,
plicate and from that selected the re-
quired number of names. Two of the
names were of non-residents, two were
dead, and one was almost totally deaf.
1t is this kind of negligence that has
brought the jury system into disre.
pute. But where is the remedy.
never realized the care necessary
in the proper make up of paper. to
guard against mistakes, till last week
when the Press" made tive bitter
enemies-for short time-here A
spinster was trying to entertain her
venerable beau, who becoming drowsy
she endeavored to rouse him by read
ing the Press" She read the elabo.
rate account of wedding, and there
not being sufficient space between that
and an advertisement for her, in her
excitement, to note the change of sub
| iect, she read right on, as if continuing
the wedding, "you ought to see my
new folding hustle, price 25 cents"
Where ?" shouted the old man, now
fully aroused. There was a scene, and
the match is declared off. The other
is pert little miss, who was very,
very angry at the abrupt ending of the
story OF" The Red Scar" Nothing
but the whole story will satisfy her.
He was full of local option, (this is
. change of subjecD too full in fact. to
materialize readily, as he struggled
manfully and drunkenly to hold down
a keg of nails, on which he tried to sit,
in the store the other day. Several
times the keg came very near getting
the advantage, but by judiciously
keeping one arm ON the counter, the
keg had to yield. He endeavored to
engage in the conversation which the
customers were holding on different
subjects. Two friends. were discussing
earnestly, but in the best of humor,
and our local option friend imagined
himself one of the disputants, and
waxed warm in the discussion, when
not wrestling with the keg. His re.
marks didn't attract any notice, which
exasperated him, and to show his con.
tempt, he said: "you fellers-hic-
don't sheen to understand that the
slraightest distance between two lines
is short point.". This statement of
the geometrical problem causing great
laughter, and supposing his statement
was doubted, he said, 81 peat it, the
shortest distance between two lines is
-hic--a straight point, now laugh, you
id fools" Then satisfied with his
argument, he fixed his arms ON the
counter. laid his head between them
and was soon soundly snoring. Fl.
Stranded The steamship Scotfa a